A little over a year ago, I wrote a snapshot. The thesis was this: hey, I know these paper straws are clearly the product of a heinous and uncaring God, but it’s a sacrifice we all have to make to cut down on plastic. Well, I’m starting to feel a bit like Charlie Brown, laying in the grass, watching Lucy walk away with the football and wondering when I’ll learn my lesson.
It must have been around the same time that the very same food retailers who adopted paper straws, switched over to plastic cups. It’s not the first time we’ve seen a bait and switch like this. Remember when Volkswagen was caught cheating on their emissions tests? Or what about the massive drive towards carbon-hungry reusable shopping bags — the ones we collect and forget in a cupboard at home. And then there’s Starbucks’ straw-less lid that contains more plastic than the old straw/lid combo and is all but certain to never be recycled.
It’s not just corporations. Who buys fast fashion’s disposable clothes, bottled-water by the case, and common goods from Amazon to save 20 cents? We do. We’re all Charlie Brown — and we’re all Lucy. Good grief.
Long ago, when DeLoreans roamed the earth, Brad was born. In accordance with the times, he was raised in the wild every afternoon and weekend until dusk, never becoming so feral that he neglected to rewind his VHS rentals. His historical focus has assured him that civilization peaked with The Simpsons in the mid 90s. When not disappointing his parents, Brad spends his time with his dogs, regretting he didn’t learn typing in high school.
